"The kidnappers engaged our anti-kidnapping squad in a fierce gun battle during which five of them, out of about eight, were neutralised," the Police chief said.

A gun duel between personnel of the Ogun State Police Command and an eight-man kidnap gang has resulted in the death of five of the suspected kidnappers, the police have said.

The gun duel occurred while the police were trying to rescue a farm manager, Tunde Osifowokan, in the Odogbolu local government area of Ogun state.

Masked gunmen had reportedly stormed a poultry farm here Mr Osifowokan works,on Monday, shooting sporadically. They later abducted Mr Osifowokan, who is said to be a younger brother to the owner of the farm.

Addressing journalists on the issue on Thursday, the state Commissioner of Police (CP), Abiodun Alamutu, said the police had been on the trail of the armed gang since the incident was reported.

Mr Alamutu disclosed that at about 4 a.m. on Thursady morning, the police anti-kidnapping unit stormed the kidnappers' hideout in Odogbolu forest along Sagamu-Benin Expressway.

"The kidnappers engaged the squad in a fierce gun battle during which five of them, out of about eight, were neutralised while the rest escaped with bullet wounds.

"Exhibits recovered from the dead among the kidnappers are a cash sum of N1,185, 070 suspected to be part of the ransom the kidnappers had collected.

"Other exhibits are one sword, cellphones, substances suspected to be hard drugs, charms, empty shells of AK47 rifle and sticks," the police chief said.

Mr Alamutu also said the victim, Mr Osifowokan, was rescued unhurt.

The corpses of the kidnappers were said to have been deposited at the morgue of a General Hospital for autopsy.

The CP said the command has intensified efforts to bring all the fleeing suspects to book, warning that criminals who are hell bent on testing the strong resolve of the police in the state will have themselves to blame.